il maestro ignoto

despite our (the cognizant human race and google) best effort, the internet still remains a wild jungle or poorly organized collections of knowledge. it is to this end that I write this - in hopes that someday someone out there might find it useful.

You have an iPhone

It’s pre- 1.1.4 (the version of the software powering you phone)

It’s jailbroken

i.e despite being told not you, you decided to unlock your phone for use on other non-sanctioned networks or have installed applications not blessed by Curpertino, USA

You are afraid you might lose everything should you upgrade your iPhone to the latest software.

This is how you do it in N simple steps

1) Connect your iPhone to iTunes. When iTunes informs you of the outdated software. Click on “download only” to fetch version 1.1.4. It’s a 160MB file which takes a couple of minutes depending on your connection speed. Once this is finished.

2) Go to the iPhone summary screen and click on “Restore” - Not upgrade. Yes, you should back up your iPhone before you do this. However, iTunes does this automatically for you anyway - including contacts and old text messages. The restore will wipe out your iPhone, restore to factory settings and automatically upgrade to the shiny new 1.1.4. Lasts about 5-10 mins. YMMV

3) When this is complete and the phone has restarted ignore the message iTunes will say about activating. Unplug your iPhone and plug it back in again to make sure iTunes picks up the phone of its own volition. Download a piece of software called iLibertyX from here ModMyIphone and follow the instructions to jailbreak and activate your iphone. This is automated and involves little else from you besides pushing a button to kick it off. Screenshots are available.

Some pointers, iLibertyX will shut down iTunes and reopen when it finishes - this is OK and necessary.
4) Once complete all you need is to resync your iPhone with iTunes and you are ready to go back to whatever “illegal” activities you need a jailbroken, unlocked iPhone for. iTunes will ask if you wish to register the phone as a new iPhone or use the old settings. Chose the old one and you should get back all your songs, movies, textmessages, contacts and call history.

Now, the next time you discover how to do something, please write it down and tag properly so I can find it more easily too.